Reflecting on and remembering the death of the Lord Jesus is perhaps the best and most humbling thing one can do with their time. There are many ways we can reflect upon His death; however, there is one way we are commanded to. Each week the faithful children of God meet and reflect on the sacrifice and purpose of Christ’s death. We call this The Lord’s Supper or The Communion. To outsiders, it might seem strange that we take part in what we do. To Christians, we should fully understand the act of worship. The Lord’s Supper is not just a time where we reflect on the death and sacrifice of Christ, but a time where we think about the opportunity of a new life that we have been given through His resurrection, because “The Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead.”!
In First Corinthians 11, we read of Paul reflecting on the Lord’s death. In the context, Paul has to remind the Corinthian church of why it is important to do so. “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (I Cor. 11:23-26 NKJV).
One of my favorite songs about the Lord’s Supper is Come Share the Lord. Not only is it a beautifully written song with each verse seamlessly leading into a chorus that evokes great emotion and expresses the great love that we have burning within our hearts “like living flame(s)”; it is a song that causes one to emotionally think of the death of our Savior and the holy communion with Christ that all Christians should continue to remember and praise God for.
“We gather…” as a family and “He joins us…”, and soon we’ll all be together where “…angels sing.”. He desires us all to be together when we “come take the bread…”. The next time you sing this song, don’t just sing it as an encouragement to those around you, reflect inwardly.
As we continue to look at The Song Leader’s Guide, you’ll remember previously we talked about “Being Prepared.” Though we can never underestimate the importance of working with the preacher and coordinating the song service, the second point is of equal value. In today’s article we’ll look at the next recommendation for song leaders. We must know and practice humility. Without a humble spirit, our song leading becomes nothing more than a stage for your assumed presentation. Not a good thing!
Not only should we be prepared…a good song leader will demonstrate humility before, during and after the worship services. Before worship services begin, walk down the aisle of the auditorium and visit with the members. Knowing them by name is an important connection you can make before you step up to lead. If you are too busy picking songs, or if you aren’t willing to visit with the members, you’ll never be able to properly lead them. A humble heart will see others as valuable, and be willing to invest time in them.
During the song service, demonstrate humility. Have a countenance of joy when the song calls for it, but avoid excessive facial expressions that draw undue attention to you. A smile will tell the congregation you believe in the message of the song. At all times, avoid a look of distress or frustration. If you mess up on a series of notes, or if you sing the wrong words, don’t let the congregation know it has ‘rattled you.’ Your brothers and sisters may not even know you made a mistake, but either way it won’t shake you because, “this is not about you.” When you lead a melancholy song, strive to focus the congregation on the seriousness of the song’s message. Remember, you can communicate the meaning of a song simply by the expression you have on your face.
And, humility must also be exhibited after the worship services. At times you may receive accolades regarding your ‘work’ following the worship. A common response by many song leaders is a simple ‘thank you.’ And though there is nothing wrong with this reply, perhaps a better response would be ‘to God be the glory.’ However, if someone acknowledges my song leading, I prefer the phrase, ‘the congregation was in good voice.’ It is always best to turn the focus away from yourself, and towards our God and His church. Just remember that a humble heart cannot be seen in words, but in actions. Give praise to God and uplift His church or you run the risk of leaving the congregation feeling like spectators rather than participants.
Next month (April) we’ll conclude this three part series of a Song Leader’s Guide to Worship.
A special thanks to Lindy Bell from Plano, Texas. She wrote an article for the Daily Devotional Magazine, Power for Today and has agreed to share it here as well. Her Christian patience and love as she deals with a ‘noisy neighbor’ is both insightful and refreshing. Perhaps you should ask yourself if you could be so tolerant. Thanks Lindy for helping us keep things in perspective.
“I have a new neighbor, and wow, is he noisy! Break of dawn, he’s getting with it. Dusk he is still going strong. Even at 2:00 a.m. he hasn’t slow down a bit. Every time I hear the racket outside my window…I want to smile. You see, my new neighbor is a mockingbird! He is so full of song, he can’t seem to get it all out. His song various and never grows old, it’s lively and joyful. The mockingbird’s enthusiasm is a wonderful metaphor for the Christian life.
Are we so full of joy that our song overflows? Do we continually praise God because we can’t praise Him enough? God hears our song. He knows our joys and sorrows. He sees our works. He knows when we try our best, and He knows when we can’t find a song to sing. It’s interesting to me that as God created the mockingbird to be enjoyed by all who hear his song, He also created us so that we might sing of His loving kindness and mercy. “Christ for the world we sing, the world to Christ we bring…”
God wants us to share in His exuberance and our hearts to overflow with His praise. He longs for us to be filled with His ever abiding joy.
Take time to listen to a mockingbird’s song. Let it fill your heart until it overflows with joy and praise for the loving God who created all.”
“The whole earth is filled with awe at Your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, You call forth songs of joy.” Psalm 65:8
For many of us, summer time brings memories of Vacation Bible School. Whether you rode the Joy Bus, brought cookies or taught a class (or participated in any of the above), VBS was a highlight of the summer months.
So for the next few weeks I’d like to reminisce about the songs we used to sing during Vacation Bible School. Songs like “His Banner Over Us Is Love” or “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” Perhaps my favorite was the closing song we sang before dismissing for the afternoon (back when VBS was Monday-Friday, 9:00 to noon); I remember singing, or should I say shouting,“Booster, booster be a booster! Don’t be grouchy like a rooster. Booster, booster be a booster and boost our Bible School!”
This article will be the first in a series of three where we’ll look at some favorite songs from yesteryear and the Vacation Bible Schools we used to participate in. Today consider these two classics:
“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. (Where?) Down in my heart…(where?) Down in my heart. I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. (Where?) Down in my heart to stay.
CHORUS: And I’m so happy, so very happy, I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart, down in my heart. And I’m so happy, so very happy, I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.
I’ve got the peace that passes understanding down in my heart. (Where?) Down in my heart…(where?) Down in my heart. I’ve got the peace that passes understanding down in my heart. (Where?) Down in my heart to stay.
CHORUS:
And if the devil doesn’t like it he can sit on a tack. (Ouch!) Sit on a tack…(ouch!) Sit on a tack. And if the devil doesn’t like it he can sit on a tack. (Ouch!) Sit on a tack to stay.
CHORUS:
I’ve got the wonderful love of the blessed Redeemer way down in the depths of my heart. (Where?) Down in the depths of my heart…(where?) Down in the depths of my heart. I’ve got the wonderful love of the blessed Redeemer way down in the depths of my heart. (Where?) Down in the depths of my heart to stay.”
CHORUS:
And how about this one…?
(boys sing) “I want to be like Daniel.
(girls sing) I want to be like Ruth.
(boys sing) I want to be like Daniel.
(girls sing) I want to be like Ruth.
(girls) For Ruth was always good and kind,
(boys) and Daniel was a mighty man.
(boys sing) I want to be like Daniel.
(girls sing) I want to be like Ruth.”
To engage the kids even more in the singing of this song, we have the boys stand while singing their part and the girls stand while singing their part. The catch, you sit when you’re not singing. It’s an exciting way to get everyone involved, especially when you increase the tempo each time you repeat the song. Of course the older we got, the better we were!
Next time in “Vacation Bible School…Part 2,” we’ll look at “The Wise Man”, “The Gospel Chariot” and “The Lord’s Army.” When you consider your vacation plans this summer, look for a good Bible School and get ready to sing!
We often ask God for safe travel and healing for the sick. Ever notice how our prayers are often saturated with what we want from God? But how much do we think about what God wants from us? Does He have any expectations of His children?
Sunday morning at Waterview church of Christ we’ll examine some things that God desires from His children. Consider how much you give to God when it comes to justice, kindness and humility. We often are prepared to travel to foreign mission fields and sign up for mission trips to comfort those who are suffering. But is our justice and kindness reserved only for those who are ‘afar off?’ How willing are we to be just, kind and humble to those we see every day, or maybe… every Sunday?
“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15
Sunday morning, June 2, 2013
The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.
“Let God Arise” – 471
Our call to worship is a contemporary song with roots from the 68th Psalm. A simple statement Christians should always remember, “May God arise, may His enemies be scattered…” How will it look when God’s enemies are scattered. Will you be standing with Him or His enemies?
“Higher Ground” – no book
An adaptation from the original by Johnson Oatman, this arrangement features the same music (for the most part) and the same words, yet with a slight twist. The above YouTube video follows the format that we’ll be singing this Sunday morning at Waterview. Enjoy the adjustment, but don’t miss the message; “I’m pressing on the upward way,”…stilling praying that the Lord will, “…plant my feet on higher ground.”
“In Memory of the Savior’s Love” – 335 & “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” – 315
These two songs will serve as a medley for the Lord’s supper. Verse one from the first song will proceed verse two from the second. Notice the flow; “…where every humble, contrite (penitent) heart is made a welcome guest.” “Forbid it Lord that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my Lord…” We’ll sing this will be before the bread, then before the fruit of the vine we’ll sing verses 2 & 3 from this medley. The songs will flow like this: “…The cup in token of His blood that was for sinner’s shed.” “See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down…” And as we close our time of remembrance we’ll switch the order of the songs and begin with verse 4 and close with verse 3. The message: “…Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” “Beneath the banner thus we sing the wonders of His love…”
“Pierce My Ear” – no book
Taken from Exodus 21:1-6, and yet many tend to shy away from this song because of the misunderstanding of (or disagreement with) the title. But when we understand the Biblical reference behind this psalm (we are singing scripture) we can better understand that for a Hebrew slave to have his ear pierced was not a glamorous sign of independence. Instead, it meant a permanent, visual contract that displayed his prearranged bondage. To say you ‘wanted your ear pierced’ was a step toward giving up your every freedom to a life of slavery. Read the text, “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him.If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.” Now who is willing to sing?
“Where He Leads I’ll Follow” – 417
In keeping with our theme for this lesson we need to look no further than the last phrase from the first two verses of this song; “He the great example is the pattern for me…” When we truly Follow Jesus, we’ll be kind to the erring ones and faith like He is.
“‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” – 679
Our invitation song calls us to trust Him. Personally, the second verse means more as we understand we’re singing about baptism. Notice it again, “O how sweet to trust in Jesus, just to trust His cleansing blood, just in simple faith to plunge me ‘neath (beneath) the healing, cleansing flood.” Sometimes I wonder how many have sung this song over the years and missed that critical message of baptism.
“Oh, to Be Like Thee” – 429
As we draw this song service to a close, this hymn reminds us of what God wants from us; to be like Him. Again, see the second verse; “Oh, to be like Thee! Full of compassion, loving, forgiving, tender and kind, helping the helpless, cheering the fainting, seeking the wandering sinner to find…” Is Jesus stamped on your heart?
What makes service good and or bad? Perhaps the best example of ‘service’ comes when you consider your waiter or waitress. They offer a service for the customer that can either be useful or not.
Have you ever visited an elegant restaurant? As you walked in you receive a gracious welcome from your host. You are seated quickly, but then wait, and wait and wait for your menu. Throughout the evening your glass goes unfilled, and your questions unanswered. Most would consider this ‘poor’ service. Some might even say this is rotten service. Regardless, you are anticipating someone from this establishment to ‘serve’ you.
Another type of ‘service’ comes each Sunday morning many of us join together to worship our God. We sing and pray, partake of the Lord’s Supper and listen to a message from God’s word. We call this time together the “worship service.” But who are we serving during this time? Is this time of worship designed to serve men or God? We certainly should be trying to ‘get something’ out of the sermon, and be admonished from the psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Colossians 3), but is this ‘service’ more than just a personal exercise? Ask yourself…am I looking to be served, or am I preparing myself to serve?
Before you come together with the saints for ‘services’, I encourage you to think about your attitude toward worship. What draws you to join the congregation of God’s people on the first day of the week? Would that our attitude reflect that of the Psalmist who wrote, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us enter into the house of the Lord’.” Psalm 122:1
If we’re truthful about the matter, people view worship services in a various ways. God meant this time to be an opportunity to grow closer to Him. This is an opportunity to give our best to the Creator. A chance to show Him how much we love Him by uniting in songs of praise and offering prayers in Jesus’ name. We should respect our Heavenly Father, and the method in which we serve and worship Him.
Consider some ideas as to how we might ‘improve’ our service when we come together to worship:
1) Attend every time the doors are open. Others will see that worship is a priority to you. You’ll be demonstrating your desire to be with the family of God and not ‘forsaking’ the assembly (Hebrews 10:25).
2) Arrive early and when possible, stay late. This will show your brothers and sisters in Christ that you really want to be there. It also helps as we encourage others . Much of what we do is really not for ourselves, but for others. (Remember…we’ve come to serve!) By coming early and staying late you might be the one who helps someone in need of encouragement.
3) Be positive with other Christians about the worship time and about one another. No place is ever going to be perfect, and rarely do all worship services meet all of our expectations and desires. But then again remember, we’ve come to serve…WHO?
4) Take more responsibility (and pride) as you participate. Bringing excitement and enthusiasm to the service will strengthen everyone involved. Consider this, do you like it when your waitress serves you with a smile?
5) Believe that spending time in worship is worthwhile. Sing and pray with all your heart. It is not how well we sing that matters to God, it’s our attitude about singing that counts. I truly believe that while we listen to the voice of the singer, God listens to the singer’s heart.
Perhaps these five points will help us as we consider our worship service next Sunday. Remember, often what we receive depends on how much we are willing to give. Most would agree it comes down to answering the following question,
For the next few months articles will be shared from the research of my uncle, Richard Dent. He and his wife live in Kansas where he has served in the educational system for more than 40 years. Yet more than educating young people, he serves as a part-time preacher for the Tyrone church of Christ in Tyrone, Oklahoma. This article is one he recently shared with me as we talked about hymn history.
In his book, Then Sings My Soul (book #3), Robert J. Morgan takes his readers back to the very beginnings of music from God’s people…the Israelite nation.
The first reference of music in the Bible is found in Genesis 4:21, when a man named Jubal is described as the ‘father’ of all who play the harp and flute. The first recorded ‘hymn’ in the scriptures can be found in Exodus 15, after God’s people escape the Egyptian army through the parted waters of the Red Sea. Moses and his people drew up the story in the form of a song that could be easily learned and spread among the people. It began with the words, “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted. The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.” Exodus 15:21 describes the exuberance of the moment saying, “Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.” And Miriam answered them, “Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed in gloriously; the horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea.”
Unfortunately, the next time we see the Israelite nation in song, it’s in a sensuous idolatry around a golden calf. While Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, Aaron was compelled by the people to craft an idol of gold. The idol was similar to that of the Egyptian worship and far from the expectation of Jehovah God. In their idolatry, the desert erupted with the sound of singing and revelry. Moses heard the strains of music from a distance and realized the sin of the people. The Israelite nation had broken the first commandment, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.”
By the time we get to the book of Deuteronomy, the old Law Giver (Moses) is again teaching God’s people the songs of Jehovah. We read in Deuteronomy 31:30 through 32:3, “And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel: ‘Listen, Oh heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teachings fall like rain, and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. I will proclaim the name of the Lord. O praise the greatness of our God!’.”
Ending his song, Moses advised God’s people to take the words to heart. “They are not just idle words for you”, he said. “They are your life…” (Deut. 32:46-47) He was describing not only the nature of God’s Word, but the character of his hymn represented God’s Word as it was crafted for singing.
In the rest of the historical books of the Old Testament, we find a many poems, hymns and ballads sprinkled throughout the text. Examples include Deborah’s song in Judges 5, the worship in song at the restoration of the temple under King Hezekiah’s reign (2 Chronicles 29), as well as David and his illustrious, musical, life-story. David’s early life as a shepherd is where he likely wrote many of the Psalms. David was a valiant shepherd, a talented poet, a great musician and a noble king. He launched and formalized the ministry of music in or around the year 1000 B.C. He employed thousands of musicians and then personally wrote many of the hymns for them to sing and play. Scores of these are preserved in the book of Psalm – the Hebrew hymnal.
Thanks to Richard Dent for his summary of this interesting Old Testament Hymnology.
“Come, we that love the Lord, and let our joys be known; Join in a song with sweet accord and thus surround the throne.…” This spiritual song, written by Isaac Watts, is more than 300 years old and yet it still admonishes the Christian to stay faithful as we’re ‘Marching to Zion.’ Singing we strive to praise God and encourage His people, but how do we do that effectively and in a pleasing manner?
As a child of God you know the importance of singing songs of praise and edification. Many who are reading this article identify with the song above and truly believe its message. Every Sunday morning world-wide, we come together and strive to fulfill Ephesians 5 & Colossians 3. But in a culture where singers are evaluated as ‘Idols,’ and singing is ‘best left to the professionals,’ we tend to listen and judge rather than praise and sing. We consider one voice better than another and place more value on the ‘talent’ of an individual while burying our own God-given talents. To be honest… that’s a mistake. It fails to follow the pattern set forth in Bible. Singing songs of praise and admonishing one another is the expectation we have in the Lord’s church.
In hopes of teaching valuable lessons of God’s love and stirring the hearts of those who hear, we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. This commentary is written to help us look at the blessings we find in singing. Since the Lord commands us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), we must ask ourselves this basic question: “As I’m marching to Zion, how do I sing and truly worship God in spirit and in truth?”
To learn the truth about Christian worship in song, we go to the New Testament. Consider for a moment I Corinthians 14:15 & 26: “I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also…What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” Have you thought about your singing when it comes to your mind? Do you think about what you’re singing? Singing by rote (repetition) is singing by memory. We learn to drive, write, walk, and talk by rote. It is the same with singing. We memorize songs by singing them over and over and over again. But in so doing we often sing without thinking what we’re saying. Check yourself to see if you know what you’re singing by asking yourself these questions:
*How is God’s goodness ‘like a fetter’? (Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing) *Is there Biblical support for referring to Jesus as a “rose of Sharon”? (Jesus, Rose of Sharon) *Do you know how to arm yourself with “the panoply of God”? (Soldiers of Christ, Arise) *And what is the ‘standard’ that He, Jesus, has raised?(The Battle Belongs to the Lord)
Brothers and sisters…I truly believe we need to investigate the meaning of our songs, ask ourselves what we’re singing, and teach our young people the meaning behind the songs we sing. “How shall the young secure their hearts and guard their lives from sin?” If we are to ‘sing with the mind also’ we must know what we’re singing. Too many times we just toss those old songs out, or sing the new ones without thinking, because we don’t truly know what they mean. Brethren, we can’t afford to make that kind of mistake, because there are dangers when we just ‘go through the motions’ in worship.
A friend of mine shared a GREAT idea about posting the order of worship for members of the congregation and prospective worship leaders. This simple use of the world wide web will allow those interested to get a glimpse of what’s coming up for Sunday morning. Nice idea, and one I think will benefit those who what to learn about the songs we’ll be singing on Sunday. This post will reflect this past Sunday morning (January 20th). Be looking for the next few weeks as we’ll be posting the order of worship by Friday or Saturday before Sunday…
Sunday morning, January 20, 2013
Robert Oglesby has been the pulpit preacher at Waterview church of Christ since February, 1963. Yes, in a few short days he and his family will be celebrating 50 years as the preacher for this solid congregation in the Kingdom of God. Our sermon topic on Sunday was titled, “That’s All I Want”. Our scripture basis was the 23rd Psalm, so our hymn selection was almost a given. The following is an account of our order of worship and all song numbers are from the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.
“We Will Glorify” – 578
A great song that praises our God and King; beautiful way to set our minds on worship.
“The Lord’s My Shepherd” – 134
The music for this popular arrangement dates back to 1854. All six verse of the 23rd Psalm can be sung in this song. This is a perfect example of Ephesians 5:19 “…speaking to one another in PSALMS and hymns and spiritual songs”
“Hear Me When I Call” – no book
This has become perhaps my favorite of all Tillit S. Teddlie songs. Certainly one that asks for our God to hear our call and ‘attend unto my prayer.’ What better way to describe my weakness than to request that our Lord, ‘…hold my trembling hand, lest helpless I should fall.”
“We Have an Anchor” – 467
The question is asked by those who sing, “Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?” In other words, how are you doing in your relationship with God? We echo in response…”We HAVE AN ANCHOR!”
“I Need Thee Every Hour” – 837
This song of prayer serves as our invitation on Sunday morning. Would that we all come to understand and truly say, “I need Thee, O I need Thee…”
“I’d Rather Have Jesus” – 581
Singing the first verse this song you are stating that you prefer (would rather have) Jesus over the riches of this world. More than houses or lands…do you really? Would your wallet agree? Take a look at your bank statement if you want to see if you really believe this song.
“I Love the Lord” – 359
Penned in my life time (1970), this song by Tommy Wheeler makes the statement that proclaims our love for God. We sing “I love the Lord”, but why? You know and you sing, “…on Calvary His dear life He freely gave…that I might live some day with Him on high.”
“The Lord My Shepherd Is” -126
Like song #134, the music for this arrangement was in the mid 1800’s, but when Isaac Watt’s penned this psalm, he followed the poetry in the message from the shepherd/king David. An affirmation of who my Shepherd is…the Lord. And knowing that…what else could I want?
At Waterview church of Christ we use a screen to project all our songs. This allows faces to be up (out of the book) and voices to be projected forward. All songs on the screen are accompanied with the sheet music for those who will sing 4-part harmony. In a world that seems to be getting faster and faster, and schedules that we tend to pack to over flow, let me admonish you to be careful and not push Jesus out of your life. You and I both know that with Him in our life and when Christ is first, we can honestly say…That’s all I need!
How ‘teachable’ do you think you are? Are you open to comments, questions or even constructive criticism? We can never be what we were intended to be if we aren’t receptive to instruction. After 15 years in formal, public education I learned that it’s not just about how willing and eager I am to teach, but how open the student will be. We might be able to teach, but without an audience, our words fall on deaf ears. But are you willing to sit and listen, to learn, from the word of God? That takes time. It takes patience and above all (ultimately), it take obedience.
Fathers…when you come together with the Lord’s church for worship are you willing to teach your children? Do you sing and praise God WITH your family or is it an individual activity? Perhaps your son isn’t willing to sit and sing; because they have already learned how important that really is in watching you. You must realize that our children will learn just as much by watching what we do as they will listening to what we say.
Jane Lesson penned the following words, and though we might not sing this hymn as often as we should, the message still rings true today. The teacher teaches the student for one basic reason. It’s not for the money and it’s not for the fame. We teach because we love. A teacher who loves his student will give time and energy to bring them to a clearer understanding of the value within the message. Our God loves us, teaches us and guides in life. As His child (student) do we listen to Him; do we love Him? We do love Him (We should love Him) because; “We love Him, because He first loved us.” I John 4:19
Savior, teach me day by day, love’s sweet lesson to obey. Sweeter lessons cannot be, loving Him Who first loved me.
With a child’s glad heart of love at Thy bidding may I move, Prompt to serve and follow Thee, loving Him Who first loved me.
Teach me thus Thy steps to trace, strong to follow in Thy grace, Learning how to love from Thee, loving Him Who first loved me.
Love in loving finds employ, in obedience all her joy; Ever new that joy will be, loving Him Who first loved me.
Thus may I rejoice to show that I feel the love I owe; Singing, till Thy face I see, of His love Who first loved me.
article we’ll look at the next recommendation for song leaders. We must know and practice humility. Without a humble spirit, our song leading becomes nothing more than a stage for your assumed presentation. Not a good thing!
though there is nothing wrong with this reply, perhaps a better response would be ‘to God be the glory.’ However, if someone acknowledges my song leading, I prefer the phrase, ‘the congregation was in good voice.’ It is always best to turn the focus away from yourself, and towards our God and His church. Just remember that a humble heart cannot be seen in words, but in actions. Give praise to God and uplift His church or you run the risk of leaving the congregation feeling like spectators rather than participants.
Take time to listen to a mockingbird’s song. Let it fill your heart until it overflows with joy and praise for the loving God who created all.”
